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Newcastle Herald
Saturday January 23, 1999
MITSUBISHI combined stunning looks and high-tech running gear to create its all-wheel-drive Technas sport utility vehicle concept car, one of this year's star attractions at the Brisbane International Motor Show.
At 4505mm long and 1855mm wide Technas takes up about the same road space as Mitsubishi's Challenger. Size, four wheels and Mitsubishi parentage, however, are about the only things the two have in common.
Styling that would be more at home on a sports car combined with such touches as side-by-side lower tailgate doors and a power-operated rear window that slides up into the roof give Technas a very different look.
Mechanically the car uses a direct-injection 3.0-litre V6 engine and five-speed automatic `sports mode' transmission controlled by a dash-mounted selector.
The full-time four-wheel-drive system is electronically controlled and has active traction control.
INDUSTRY analyst Glass's Guide has given the highest resale value gong to Audi's A6 2.4-litre quattro Tiptronic model.
Glass's says a one-year-old A6 retains 85% of its purchase value.
FORMER Australian race ace Allan Moffat has been signed by Indonesian tyre maker GT Radial to promote its tyres in Australia.
Interestingly, the four-times Bathurst race winner agreed to the deal only after running secret tests at Victoria's Sandown International Raceway comparing several leading tyre brands.
GT Radial makes about 30million tyres annually and sells to more than 80 countries.
The brand is marketed in Australia by local importer Independent Tyre Distributors.
IN the past few weeks we have been bombarded by the car companies with news of their 1998 sales successes.
The latest is from Hyundai Automotive Distributors Australia claiming the record for the most four-cylinder cars sold in Australia in 1998.
More than 44,000 buyers drove home in new Hyundai Excels last year, 5529 more than in 1997.
HADA says the Excel's annual sales were almost 20,000 ahead of closest rival Toyota Corolla and allowed the car to claim three titles: most popular four-cylinder car, best-selling small car and top imported car.
Hyundai's total Australian sales last year were 57,219, slightly down on the 1997 record of 59,798.
VOLVO Car Australia has joined forces with State and Territory motoring organisations to offer a 24-hour roadside assistance package for new Volvo owners.
Known as Volvo Roadcare, the package covers owners for two years from date of delivery of the car.
Volvo Roadcare applies to the vehicle, not the owner, and can be transferred from owner to owner with no limitation on the number of times it can be used.
AND from Volvo comes the news that Peter Horbury, the company's Swedish-based but British-born design director, has been named Autocar magazine's Designer of the Year.
Horbury was the driving force behind the S40 and V40 compacts, the C70 coupe and convertible pair and the latest S80 luxury car.
Accepting his award, Mr Horbury said: `Every car company knows that design is the main reason for people to buy a particular car.
`I was so pleased when people saw the S80 and said, "I know it's a Volvo but I'm not sure why". There's a recognition there.'
© 1999 Newcastle Herald
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